Top 25 Books of 2010

Amazon.com has released a list of the top 25 books of the year. Considering that Amazon is one of the top three book selling companies, we think this list is pretty accurate.

We have reviewed three (The Last Song, A Reliable Wife, Dear John) books on this list, and will be posting three (The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo Series) others in the upcoming months.

Here is the complete list of the top 25 books.

1. Faces in Time: A Time Travel Thriller by Lewis E Aleman

2. The Help by Kathryn Stockett

3. Percy Jackson and the Olympians Paperback Boxed Set (Books 1-3) by Rick Riordan 4. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson 5. The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson 6. The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson 7. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot 8. The Three Weissmanns of Westport: A Novel by Cathleen Schine 9. Worst Case (Michael Bennett) by James Patterson 10. The Lost Symbol (Robert Langdon, No. 3) by Dan Brown 11. Dear John by Nicholas Sparks 12. A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick 13. The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery 14. Olive Kitteridge: Fiction by Elizabeth Strout 15. The Postmistress by Sarah Blake 16. Catching Fire (The Second Book of the Hunger Games) by Suzanne Collins 17. Mockingjay (The Final Book of The Hunger Games) by Suzanne Collins 18. Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay 19. Fantasy in Death by J.D. Robb 20. The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks 21. The Love Dare by Alex Kendrick 22. The 9th Judgment (Women's Murder Club) by James Patterson 23. Under the Dome: A Novel by Stephen King 24. Breathless: A Novel by Dean Koontz 25. Savor the Moment (The Bride Quartet, Book 3) by Nora Roberts Have you read any books on this list?? Let us know which ones you did, and what you thought.

Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah

I read this book because Christina would not leave me alone, and made me read it. Don't get me wrong, I want to read everything ever written by Kristin Hannah, but I didn't feel like I would really enjoy this book.

Well, I was kind of right. I was half way through the book, and I couldn't wait to get it over with. I still wasn't hooked. And just when I was about to chuck it out the window, it started to reel me in.

This is by no means a love story. It's about two sisters who had a mother who never showed any emotion towards them. The only time she would talk to them without being cold, was when she would tell them a fairy tale, one she never finished. But in his death bed, their dad made them promise to make their mom tell them the story.

From the very beginning I knew that this wasn't an ordinary fairy tale, and I caught on pretty quick. I just couldn't forgive what this lady's coldness had done to her daughters. I must say that I really liked the end. The fairy tale turned out to be very sad, and the ending just perfect. It really had a crazy twist that I had no idea was coming.

Overall, I do not regret reading this book at all. I'd give it a 7.5 out of 10.

Have you read it before? What do you think? Let us know.

-Mimi

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Winter Garden was yet another Kristin Hannah great. I am such a fan of stories within stories, especially stores talking about a certain period in history, and that is exactly what Winter Garden is.

First, I need to tell you NOT to give up on the book. I was scared Mimi was going to stop reading it because she hated the beginning so much, so I promise you that it will pick up and you will not be able to put it down.

This is a story of loss, and most importantly love. Nina and Meredith are two sisters who grow up with a bitch of a mother and a pretty awesome dad, but they loose their father and have to figure out how to live with only their mother around. Anya, their mom, is a horrible excuse of a mother. She never talks to them or shows them affection, all she does is sit outside in her winter garden. As the story goes on, we learn why Anya is the way she is and Nina and Meredith learned about a time they never new existed.

Once you are done reading the book, you will feel bad for Anya and her past, but you probably won't forgive her for being such a bitch. If you are like Mimi, you probably won't like Nina and Meredith throughout the book because they do a bad job keeping their own relationships intact. I didn't so much hate them, I just wanted to smack some sense into them at some points in the book.

All in all, this is a GREAT book that any woman will LOVE! Remember, the beginning is kind of slow and you will get mad at Anya, but I promise it will get better.

Have you read Winter Garden? What did you think?

PS: This would be A GREAT movie because it not only has a love story, but some action as well!

-Christina

The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory

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This book was absolutely AMAZING! I know I probably have, and will say that a lot about other books in this blog, but this one was hard to put down. It's one of the most suspenseful books I have ever read, and it brings out a lot of emotions.

I felt really bad for Mary. She was so kind, and had no choice than to become the King's mistress, and deal with the horrors her sister Ann made her go through, but she stayed strong. Meanwhile, Ann was the nastiest bitch I have ever read about in a book. She didn't care at all for her sister Mary, and used her like an old rag doll. Just thinking about it makes me mad. You can't begin to image how evil Ann was until you read this book.

There were other characters here and there that you will love, hate, or will just annoy you, but no one will bring out the emotions like Ann. You're going to want to punch the book while you're reading. The things she does are appalling! I won't ruin anything for you, but I will tell you that on a scale from Bitch to Mega Bitch, she gets a "Ultra Mega Super Bitch."

I saw the movie, and I will say it was good. And trust me, I'm usually hard on movies of my favorite books, but I will tell you that the Ann in the movie isn't even half the bitch Ann was in the book. I recommend both the movie and the book, but especially the book. It's definitely a GREAT read.

-Mimi

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This was my second time reading The Other Boleyn Girl. I bitched at Mimi for months telling her I did not want to read it again, but I am sure glad I did! The first time I read it way too fast and kept confusing it with the movie. This time, I read it nice and slow and enjoyed it much more.

First of all, if you liked the movie, you will LOVE the book. It is really really big, but super good and scandalous! It is based very roughly on the life of Henry VIII and wife of a few years, Anne Boleyn. (mother of the great Queen Elizabeth)

Basically the king sleeps around with Anne and her sister Mary and just about every other girl around him. I really REALLY hate him. He is gross, annoying, and cocky just because he is the king he can get whatever or whomever he wants.

Anne is a total bitch consumed with the idea of wealth and power. Because of that, she gets beheaded, which she 100% deserves. Her sister Mary on the other hand (the narrator of the book) is forced into the life consumed by power. At a very young age she is made to sleep with the King and be his lover. Her whole life is based on what her family makes her do, it really sucks and I feel bad for her.

This is a time where men are the rulers of the women, and I am so glad I was not alive then. I would have been the first one to be hung! The book really upsets me because of the lives the women have. They literally eat, sleep, and dress to make the men happy.. how horrible! My favorite part of the book is when Mary finally realizes she should stop listening to her family and do what she wants to do! Luckily, she has a good life with her husband and children.

This book is NOT for younger people.. there are a few graphic parts that are mot meant for them. Like I said, if you like scandal, you will love this book!

Have you seen the movie or read the book? What did you think?

-Christina

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The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

I was supposed to read this book my Junior year of high school. Needless to say, that didn’t happen, I thought I was too cool to read in High School, but I never forgot the stories so I’ve kept them on my list.

I always thought this was a sad story. I felt extremely sad for Gatsby. All he wanted was to be loved by Daisy, but she was too busy being a pea brain. I’ve always hated Daisy. She cared too much about an image, and not enough about love.

One thing I didn’t like about the book was that it was told through Nick Carraway, Gatsby’s neighbor, and Daisy’s cousin. I wanted to know what Gatsby or Daisy really thought about each other, more than what Nick thought.

Although I hadn’t read the book, I saw the movie more than once and I loved it. I’m a proud owner of it on DVD, and I’m happy to say the movie stayed pretty much 99% true to the book.

This is a great book for both men and women of all ages to enjoy. It’s a timeless classic. Please let us know what you think.

-Mimi

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I thought the Great Gatsby was a good book, not a great book. I do have to admit I feel a little better that I read a classic and didn't actually hate it.

I need to start off my pointing out how much I HATED Tom and Daisy. Tom was a rude, cheating, prick who thought he was the king of the world because he had money, and Daisy was a stupid bitch who only cared about money and didn't realize what a great person Gatsby was.

I felt so bad for Gatsby. He loved Daisy so much and that freaking hoe bag couldn't wait for him once he left for war, and even worse she wouldn't leave Tom after Gatsby did SO much for her and pined over her for years.

The end didn't surprise me, I had a feeling Gatsby would be killed, but it still pissed me off! Basically I wish Tom and Daisy would have drowned in a pool full of money!

THE END :)

-Christina

Highest Paid Authors..

Here is the list of the top paid authors for this year:

1. James Patterson ($70M)
2. Stephenie Meyer ($40M)
3. Stephen King ($34M)
4. Danielle Steel ($32M)
5. Ken Follett ($20M)
6. Dean Koontz ($18M)
7. Janet Evanovich ($16M)
8. John Grisham ($15M)
9. Nicholas Sparks ($14M)
10. J. K. Rowling ($10M)

We have reviewed books by Patterson, Meyer, and Sparks but I think Kristin Hannah needs to be on this list! I have read many Danielle Steel books, but personally I think Hannh is 1000 times better. I thought for sure J.K Rowling would be higher up.

Does anyone on this list surprise you?

-Christina

Marley and Me by John Grogan

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I read Marley and Me in college, I think it was one of the first books I read that wasn't a love story. One of the guys that I worked with at school recommended it to me and I gave it a shot. All I have to say is that I absolutely loved it.

At around the time I read this book my dog was about 2 or 3 years old. So it was so easy to sympathize.

Marley made me laugh out loud at times, I was horrified at times at the messes he made, and I also cried like a little child. I mean, I cried my eyes out. I could not stop hugging my dog for days.

I totally love this book because it makes you appreciate your furry friend so much more. Unfortunately they don't have a long life span, but every moment they spend with you, will stick with you forever, and it's the one friend you will never forget.

A pet is loyal, will love you no matter what, and in his/her eyes, you are a hero. This book really made me remember that.

It's a book you will surely enjoy, especially if you have a pet.

If you have read it, or plan to do so, let us know. We would love to know what you think.

-Mimi

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I just finished reading Marley & Me, and I am very upset and sad. I already knew how the book was going to end, with the death of Marley, but I wasn't prepared for how I was going to feel. If you don't have a pet, you will never understand, so don't even read my review because you will think I am an emotional crazy lady.

I cry A LOT when I read, because I get so attached to the characters and their stories, but Marley and Me was about a dog and his owners, yet I still cried like my whole family just died. This book will definitely make you laugh and cry, but it will also make you feel so lucky to have a great pet.

Marley to me, is a disaster dog and I would have probably gotten rid of him after a few months. No matter what the Grogan family did, he continued to tear the house apart. I am sure the family spent 10,000+ on all the things he damaged, but they continued to love him, up until his last day.

You are probably thinking, "I don't want to waste my time on a book about some lame dog" but this book is more than that. Yes, it is about a dog, but it also is about a family and the struggles they have to overcome.

I especially liked the book because the family lived in Boca Raton and John (the author/main character) describes the town so perfectly. Mimi and I both went to school in Boca so we can definitely relate to the stories he told. (On a side note, John liked to laugh at the Boca ladies with their small dogs, and I have a small Chihuahua, and just because he is tiny and can fit in my purse, doesn't mean he is any less of a dog! so THERE!)

I recommend this book to ANYONE, especially if you have a dog. Just don't get mad at me when you are crying your heart out by the end of the book. Also, if you saw the movie, the book is 10000 times better (like usual) so give it a read!!

Have you seen the movie or read the book, what did you think?

-Christina

Shutter Island Movie Review

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I was very happy with the way they did this movie. Martin Scorsese really knows how to stay true to a book. It was exactly like book actually. Just like I pictured it. GENIUS GENIUS GENIUS.

I wish all screenplay's were like this. I promise that if you liked the book, you will really enjoy the movie. I also liked that the movie explained the ending a little more. I feel that by just showing you something, it answers the questions you may have had at the end.

Let us know what you thought!

-Mimi

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I give Shutter Island an A+ for the movie.. I LOVE it when they keep the book and the movie similar, and that is exactly what they did. Not only that, but Leonardo Dicaprio is amazing in this movie and he is even better to look at for over two hours :) Im not gong to lie, a few parts in the movie made me jump but when I was reading it, I was 10 times more scared. So basically if you enjoyed the movie, it is a given you will enjoy the book, but nothing different happens, so don't waste your time :)

Did you like the movie? What did you think about the ending? That KILLS ME!!

-Christina

Eclipse Movie Review

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Eclipse was an awesome movie. I saw it at the theaters three times. Crazy, I know.

I think it was my second favorite of the three, and I say second only because they moved a little too fast and jumbled things around. However, I do take in to account that this book was bigger than the first two, so I forgive them.

There were a few parts that made me mad because it's not how it happened in the book, and I feel that there are little keys that mean a lot to the story which the screen writers change without thinking about the new meaning they've given everything.

For example;

1) Bella getting on the motorcycle with Jacob in front of Edward outside of school. THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN! When Bella left with Jacob, it was behind all the Cullens' backs. That's a huge reason I hate her so much, because she was a selfish little FILL IN THE BLANK.

2) They also didn't tell the whole story about the wolves. They really chopped it down and didn't really explain why they are wolves instead of lions, or tigers or bears, "oh my."

Also, the movies really need to work on not making Edward look like such a pansy. Seriously. I think it's a little late though. Of all the books, in the fourth Edward really does become somewhat of a weenie, so that's shot to hell.

All I can say is that those of you who haven't read the books, are totally missing out.

All that aside, I'm obsessed with the whole Twilight mania and I can't want to go to one of the many release parties for the movie and be one of the first people to get it on DVD.

Those gatherings are always so hilarious! (In a good way of course, I always have a blast.)

Overall, I give the the movie a B.

-Mimi

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Eclipse is my second favorite book out of the series, and the movie is definitely my favorite so far. After seeing it more than once, some things really started to bother me, so I give the movie a B-.

The acting did get better, but it obviously still isn't great. None of these people deserve any awards for their mediocre acting, but I would give Taylor Lautner an award for his hot ass body any day! :)

Back to the movie, I wished they didn't make some of the scenes out of order, that pissed me off. Once it was over, I still felt like is was missing something. After reading the The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner I thought they would add more of Bree in the movie, or at least the other characters in the book. But they didn't so that also bummed me out.

kristen stewart still pisses me off. It doesn't help I am not a huge Bella fan, but I think my dog could act better than her. For me, that really takes a lot out of the movie. She really only has two faces, her fake happy one, and her I-am-so-worried-I-need-to-bite-my-lip face. Both of those annoy me. Am I the only one that feels that way?

I really hope the acting is stepped up for the next two movies. The special effects of course were amazing, like in New Moon and the music really meshed well throughout.

So all in all, it was a pretty good movie and I am really looking forward to the next two!

What did you think?

-Christina

The Things We Do For Love by Kristin Hannah

I absolutely loved this book! The main character Angie is by far one of my all time favorite characters from any book.

She had gone through a lot of heartbreak after not being able to have a baby with her husband, and that eventually cost her her marriage.

While on her road to rebuild her life, she meets a teenage girl who has a piece of shit mom, and it's not long before Lauren (the teen) is the daughter Angie never had, and Angie is the mom Lauren always wanted.

It was a beautiful story. I promise that you will laugh, but I can't promise that you will cry like Christina a.k.a Weenie. This girl tells me she's cried three times by the time she got to chapter five. "Why?" you ask? I HAVE NO IDEA!!!

I have cried when reading books. Actually, I've cried like a little bitch! Time Travelers Wife, Firefly Lane, My Sister's Keeper, The Last Song... The list goes on and on, but this one, no dice.

It was too beautiful to cry. The character's lives only got better, so I have no idea what Christina the idiot was talking, or crying about, for that matter.

You will love the book. I totally did. My heart had so much love for this book that I felt like my heart wanted to burst! No lie!

Read it and let us know what you think.

-Mimi

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I never get tired of saying this: Kristin Hannah is AMAZING!

The things we do for love was a wonderful story of family, love, loss, and triumphs.

Mimi thinks there is something wrong with me because I cried so much during this book, but its so hard not to.

Lauren, one of the main characters is an amazing girl put in a crappy situation. Her mom is a useless drunk, slutty bitch, yet Lauren still finds a way to get good grades and hold a steady job.

Angie is an older woman whose marriage is on the rocks and was never able to have children. Somehow the lives of Lauren and Angie collide and that is what makes this amazing book.

I don't want to give anything away, but I will say it is an easy read and it's impossible not to get hooked into the characters, especially Lauren. It is impossible not to cry with her when she is let down over and over again in life.

The end isn't exactly what I wanted, but you will still be satisfied once its over. The book would also be an amazing movie!

Have you read a Kristin Hannah book? Which was your favorite?

Ps: will someone tell Mimi that it's normal to cry when reading a book?! Sheesh!

-Christina

A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick

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A Reliable Wife was a very intriguing book. It wasn’t hard to get in to it, and I always wanted to know more so it’s was kind of hard to put it down.

The story is about a man Ralph, who puts an ad in the paper for a wife. Catherine answers, but she isn’t who she says she is. She thinks Ralph has no idea, but he is a little smarter than she thinks. He sends her out to find his son and you will just have to wait and see if it was worth going to get him.

I wasn’t a fan of the way the book was written. There wasn’t really any action for the characters. It was more about thoughts and what was going on inside the characters mind.

There was also too much sex in the book. I’m not trying to act all prude or anything, I’ve read romance novels and I’m sure it doesn’t get more explicit than that but I was a weird sex in this book. You’d have to read it to know what I was saying.

The end wasn’t very satisfying to me. I think this was the one instance where I would like liked the author to just write one more chapter and tell me what Ralph Truitt was thinking. I didn’t feel satisfaction after closing the book. I would have wanted a clear ending. I’m not saying I want more. I’m okay with what I read, but I’m not satisfied.

-Mimi

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The Reliable Wife was a good book, not great, just good. It goes to show how even rich people don't have all the happiness in the world.

There are a few twists and turns, but if you are a smart cookie like me, you might figure it out early on.

For the most part, I am a lover of happy endings, and this ending was how I think it should be.

The book is about a rich man named Ralph Truitt who had a hard life and writes an ad in the paper to find a new wife. Catherine Land is the woman that answers and they end up getting married. Catherine is basically a sneaky bitch that will do just about anything to get what she wants.

*SORT OF SPOILER* Once she gets close to getting what she wants, she finds the errors in her ways and does everything possible to become a good wife and woman. They end up falling in love and as a couple they go through a crap load of ups and downs. (deaths, heart breaks, lies, and more lies)

For me, this was only a good book and not a GREAT one because I wanted to know more about certain characters. Not only that, but I HATED HATED HATED Ralph's son. He was a gold digging whore of a man and he got what he deserved!

If you want to read a book set in a different time, when things were depressing and people were dying from all sorts of diseases, then pick it up! :)

Did you read this book? What did you think?

-Christina

Five People You Meet in Heaven - MOVIE REVIEW

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No movie is exactly like the book, but this one pretty much nailed it. Of course I would have been uberly infuriated if they hadn't, I mean Mitch Albom writes the shortest books, I've ever read! They better keep it close!

Everything was kept the same. They took out one part that stayed with me in the book, which was in the chapter with his wife. Where she was driving under a bridge and got into a car accident.

Everything else was exact. Pretty amazing if you ask me.

If you read the book, you will really like the movie. This movie truly brings the book to life.

-Mimi

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The 5 people you meet in heaven was an amazing book, and an equally amazing movie!!

I hate when people feel the need to change a great book when they make it into a movie, and thankfully they didn't do that here.

Everything is pretty accurate and just how I imagined it in my head. If you enjoyed the book, you will 100% like the movie. And plus, the main character (when he's younger) looks like Taylor Lautner and Leonardo Dicaprio put together. YUMMY!!!!

- Christina

More Than it Hurts You by Darin Strauss

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Mimi hated The Lovely Bones and I loved it. So when she told me she wanted me to read a book that she hated called "More Than It Hurts You" I was all game!

But for once, I hated the book also! So many things pissed me off about it. 1. I didn't like the way the author wrote. 2. I didn't like the way he made the women in the book look so weak.

Dr. Stokes, one of the main characters was a black doctor, and a very good doctor at that. But Darin Strauss (the author) made her so weak it drove me insane. Apparently he felt it necessary to make her father an ex convict and have her marry a white jewish guy who ends up divorcing her and later dies. To make her life even crappier, everyone thought she was racist and was trying to break up a white family.

The book is about the Goldin family. Josh and Dori are the parents of Zack and it turns out Dori hurts the baby so she can get more attention from her husband. Dr. Stokes finds this out and wants to have Zack removed so he doesn't get hurt any more.

But in the end, Josh and Dori get to keep the baby because the hospital doesn't want their reputation ruined any more by Dr. Stokes and her convict father.

I kind of gave most of the book away but I think its ok because I don't want you to waste your time and read it. I understand Munchausen's by proxy is a real disorder (which is what Dori has) but still the whole book sucked. It had no real ending and made the men look powerful and the women look weak and unable to make good choices.

So in the end. Don't waste your time. I'm pissed I did!

-Christina

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I absolutely hated this book. When I first bought the book, I thought I would be interesting to read about Muchausens by Proxy, but the more the read the book, the more I wanted to finish it. I hated it, I hated that these people didn't realized that bitch Dori was F-ing crazy!

I totally hated the end. I felt like I had just wasted days of my life reading that book. The end was a huge disappointment. I literally closed the book and yelled "That's it?!?"

It was terrible. Terrible I tell you! Terrible!

No justice at all. Made no sense. I hated it.

Read it, only if you want to read something that pisses you off.

-Mimi

P.S. I Love You by Cecelia Ahern

P.S. I Love You is one of my favorite books. I bought it in Portland, Oregon so that I could have something to read on that long ass trip to Florida. Once I started, I couldn’t put it down. This was the first book to make me both laugh out loud, and cry like a baby. I was literally laughing by myself on the plane. I think the people sitting next to me thought I had escaped Shutter Island.

Aside from the laughing, it was very sad. As you know, Holly's (the main character) husband dies at the beginning and leaves her 12 notes. She is to open one letter per month, and although some of the letters leads to something funny, it’s still sad that he isn’t with her.

It’s not your typical love story, but it’s amazing how her husband helps pull her out of that hole, and helps her through her first year without him, even in death.

BEAUTIFUL!

At the end, she doesn’t end up with anyone which Christina didn’t like, but I thought was perfect. I think people have to give themselves sufficient amount of time to move on. I think that she had a year to heal, with the help of her husband, and the end of the book is just the beginning of her new chapter.

I would definitely recommend this book to you all out there. And I’d also like to point out that you shouldn’t judge this book by its movie. I absolutely HATED the movie. I hated it so much, I can’t even watch it when it’s on HBO, I have to change the channel or walk out of the room. They totally butchered the book.

If you have read it or plan to read it, let me know what you think. I’m telling you right now, it was awesome!

-Mimi

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So I have to start by saying I read this book because I really enjoyed the movie. Now, I really enjoyed the book and HATE the movie!! I don't understand how they can say the movie is based off the book because they are sooooooo different! The movie does it no justice at all, it's such a shame!

Holly is such a great character. I laughed and cried with her all the way through. She is so strong also. Even after the death of her husband, she finds ways to live her life. (With the help of her deceased husband and his list of course )

I really love how we learn so much about her brothers and sisters because they made the book so much better. You can easily relate to the family structure and the problems they encounter.

The ending I will say could have been better. I love my fairy tale endings and this one didn't have that. :(

All in all, I give the book a 9\10. Be sure to have your tissues ready because if you have a heart, you will need them!!

Have you seen the movie or read the book? Let us know what you think!

-Christina